METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INFUSING SUBSTANCES

• US 20080200804A1
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brainlab AG
• Original Assignee: Brainlab AG
• Inventors: Hartlep, Andreas, Raghavan, Raghu, Pedain, Christoph, Brady, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,742,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/431
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14292 Computer-based infusion planning or simulation of spatio-temporal infusate distribution
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0693 Brain, cerebrum
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14 Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method for determining a backflow of a substance along a track of a delivery device includes: a) obtaining parameters that influence the flow of the fluid or substance; b) acquiring information about delivery data; and c) computing the backflow along the delivery device using the information in steps a) and b).

Claims

1. A method for determining a backflow of a substance along a track of a delivery device, comprising:

a) obtaining parameters that influence the flow of the substance;

b) acquiring information about delivery data; and

c) computing the backflow along the delivery device using the information in steps a) and b).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining parameters that influence the substance flow includes basing the parameters on the acquisition of patient specific medical data, anatomical data and/or generalized information from at least one of experience, literature, modeling, studies, research, or analysis.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein acquiring information about delivery data includes acquiring the data from at least one of delivery parameters, delivery geometry and/or fluid properties.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein delivery parameters include at least one of delivery device trajectory, flow rate, or pressure,

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein delivery geometry includes at includes at least one of catheter diameter or catheter profile.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein fluid properties includes fluid viscosity or fluid molecular size.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein basing the parameters on the acquisition of patient specific medical data includes using a medical imaging device to obtain the patient specific medical, anatomical data and/or generalized information.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein basing the parameters on the acquisition of patient specific medical data includes using at least one of diffusivity of water molecules, capillary permeability, blood flow, or blood volume as the patient specific medical data.

9. The method according to claim 2, further comprising deriving from the patient-specific medical data and/or generalized information at least one of pore fraction, intracellular volume fraction, extracellular volume fraction, hydraulic conductivity, measures for blood brain barrier disruption, degradation rate, or washout of fluid.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein deriving generalized information includes using literature values, properties about a target volume and/or an entire measurement volume of the patient specific medical information.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein deriving from generalized information includes referring to a model for fluid distribution within tissue.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein deriving from the generalized information includes using data from a database.

13. The method according to claim 2, further comprising using the patient-specific medical information data and/or generalized information to extract regions and/or structures including at least one of surfaces, functional areas, nerve fiber tracks, cavities, or intracranial structures that influence fluid flow and/or distribution.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein extracting includes automatically or semi-automatically performing the extraction using at least one of models and/or algorithms for surface detection and delineation, atlases, anatomical information, and/or computerized versions thereof.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein computing includes computing at least one of pore fraction, intracellular volume fraction, extracellular volume fraction, and/or hydraulic conductivity.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising computing the diffusivity of water molecules within a measurement volume.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising using the computed backflow distance or shape to simulate further pressure fields, fluid concentration and/or flow parameters.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising using the shape or length of the backflow to determine a location of an infusion device in tissue.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising computing the shape or distance of the backflow using altered data, devices, fluids or parameters to refine the determination or simulation of the backflow.

20. A method of infusing a substance into tissue via an infusion device, comprising:

introducing a contrast agent into the substance such that the distribution of such agent and substance is detectable by medical data acquisition; and

observing and/or measuring a backflow length along a track of the infusion device.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising using a medical imaging device to acquire the medical data.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein measuring or observing the backflow length includes using medical images to measure or observe the backflow length.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein measuring or observing the backflow length includes using imaging processing algorithms to automatically measure or observe the backflow length.

24. The method according to claim 23, using image processing algorithms includes adapting the algorithms to properties of the contrast agent.

25. The method according to claim 20, wherein measuring or observing the backflow length includes using a probe sensitive to properties of the used fluid to measure or observe the backflow length.

26. The method according to claim 20, further comprising using the measured or observed backflow length to refine the infusion.

27. The method according of claim 26, wherein using the measured or observed backflow to refine the infusion includes automatically refining the infusion.

28. The method according to claim 20, further comprising checking the measured or observed backflow against one or more reference values and, based on the comparison, estimating the suitability of the chosen trajectory for the purposes of a fluid infusion.

29. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for determining a backflow of a substance along a track of a delivery device, comprising:

a) code that obtains parameters that influence the flow of the substance;

b) code that acquires information about delivery data; and

c) code that computes the backflow along the delivery device using the information in steps a) and b).

30. An apparatus for determining a backflow of a substance along a track of a delivery device, comprising:

a processor and memory;

logic stored in the memory and executable by the processor, said logic including

a) logic that obtains parameters that influence the flow of the substance;

b) logic that acquires information about delivery data; and

c) logic that computes the backflow along the delivery device using the information in steps a) and b).